The US kills 'Al Qaeda' chief with a non-explosive missile that didn’t harm anyone else. What is it?

Answer 1

It's likely that you're referring to the use of a Hellfire missile, which is a type of air-to-ground missile that is commonly used by the US Military. Hellfire missiles are equipped with a shaped charge warhead, which is designed to penetrate armor and other hard targets, but they do not have a fragmentation casing that would create shrapnel that could harm nearby civilians. The US military has used Hellfire missiles in targeted killing operations against high-value targets, including suspected terrorists, in several countries around the world.

Hellfire missiles are made by the defense contractor Lockheed Martin and are primarily used by the US military, although they have also been exported to several other countries. The missile can be fired from a variety of platforms, including fixed-wing aircraft, attack helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones).

The missile is guided by a laser guidance system, which allows it to precisely target specific structures or vehicles. This capability makes it an effective tool for taking out high-value targets without causing collateral damage, although there have been reports of civilian casualties in some instances.

Hellfire missiles have been used in several conflicts, including the Gulf War, the Iraq War, and the War in Afghanistan. They have also been used in targeted killing operations against suspected terrorists in countries such as Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. The use of Hellfire missiles in targeted killings has been the subject of controversy and legal challenges, as some argue that they violate international law and result in the deaths of innocent civilians.